The Morocco national team host Niger on Friday evening, 13 November, at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca in the third round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, a match in which the Atlas Lions are seeking a third consecutive win to strengthen their lead at the top of Group A. The eyes of Moroccan football fans are on this encounter, which Achraf Hakimi and his teammates enter with six points from two matches, compared to three points for Niger in third place on goal difference behind second-placed Gabon.
Perfect start with a clean sheet
Morocco opened their qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win over Gabon on 25 September, with goals from Noussair Mazraoui and Soufiane Rahimi, before repeating the same scoreline against Lesotho four days later with two goals from Brahim Díaz and Azzedine Ounahi. Four goals scored without Yassine Bounou’s net being breached, an indication of the balance overseen by coach Mohamed Ouahbi, in addition to the clean-sheet run in official competitions.
Key absences in the Atlas Lions squad
Morocco enter the match with notable absences, most prominently Ounahi, Ismael Saibari and Soufiane Rahimi, while Neil El Aynaoui withdrew due to an ankle injury, prompting the technical staff to call up Samir El Mourabet as his replacement. Hakimi, Bounou and Díaz remain in the squad, along with the return of striker Youssef En-Nesyri and the first-time inclusion of Amine Adli in the senior national team.
Niger seeking to get back on track
For their part, Niger recorded one win in their first two matches, 2-1 against Lesotho, before losing 2-0 to Gabon. Coach Nabil Nghiz leads a squad of 25 players, the most prominent of whom are Rahim Al-Hassan, Ali Mohamed, Daniel Sosah and Omar Sako, while nine players ply their trade in clubs in the domestic league. The visitors are expected to seek a positive result against an opponent whose goal has not yet been breached in the qualifiers.
Historical dominance in recent meetings
Morocco hold a clear advantage in the last two meetings between the sides, having won 2-1 in March 2025 and then settled the second encounter with five unanswered goals in September 2025, both in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Niger are officially the hosts of the next meeting between the two on 17 November at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, but both matches are being played in Morocco.
What does this match mean for Moroccan fans?
The match represents an opportunity to strengthen their lead at the top of the group before the Rabat encounter, while maintaining the positive run of results in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. The absences in midfield also open the door to new experiments that could benefit the team in upcoming commitments, especially with the return of En-Nesyri and the inclusion of young faces.
InfoSport stats
- 6 points for Morocco from two matches with a fully clean sheet.
- 4 goals scored by Morocco without conceding any in the qualifiers.
- Five unanswered goals was the outcome of the last meeting between the sides in September 2025.
Broadcast channels and kick-off time
The match will be broadcast on beIN SPORTS CONNECT in the United States, with kick-off at exactly 8 pm Morocco time. Exclusive coverage continues on the InfoSport website for the latest on line-ups and stats before the whistle.
